1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing particles, particles, and a sintered body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Calcium phosphate-based compounds are a type of ceramic material, and are widely used as, for example, biomaterials and stationary phase materials for chromatography.
In a case where biomaterials of a calcium phosphate-based compound are produced, particles of a calcium phosphate-based compound are prepared from, for example, a liquid (slurry), the particles are molded into various desired shapes to obtain molded bodies, and the molded bodies are baked (sintered) to obtain sintered bodies. Then, the thus obtained sintered bodies are clinically used as artificial bones and artificial dental roots, and the like.
In a case where stationary phase materials for chromatography of a calcium phosphate-based compound are produced, particles of a calcium phosphate-based compound are prepared in the same manner as in the case of production of the biomaterials described above, and then the particles are baked (sintered) to obtain sintered fine particles. The thus obtained sintered fine particles are used as column packing materials and the like.
As a method for preparing such particles, a method for producing hydroxyapatite particles using an emulsion technique has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-137910).
However, such a method necessarily involves complicated treatment such as decantation or centrifugation and is not suitable for mass production, and therefore has problems in production efficiency and cost.
In addition, there is also a problem that particles obtained by this method are likely to be amorphous. Therefore, in a case where molded bodies are prepared using such particles, these molded bodies are likely to vary in density, and sintered bodies obtained by sintering the molded bodies are lacking in stability of strength and porosity.